2025 Club World Cup: Kicking Off with Messi's Inter Miami

The 2025 Club World Cup will launch a day earlier with Inter Miami, featuring Lionel Messi, opening on June 14. The monthlong tournament will include 32 teams, climaxing with a final match at MetLife Stadium on July 13. Key matchups and logistics have been strategically planned.

The 2025 Club World Cup has been rescheduled to start one day earlier, with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami set to kick off the tournament on June 14. The event spans a month, culminating in a final match at MetLife Stadium near New York on July 13.

FIFA released the schedule for the first-ever 32-team edition, following a draw in Miami that featured Ivanka Trump on stage and a recorded message from Donald Trump. Messi's team will open against Egypt's Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium, with kickoff times designed to suit global audiences.

Major matches include Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors in Miami and Inter Milan vs. River Plate in Seattle, taking place at times convenient for international viewership. The tournament schedule prioritizes player rest and minimizes travel, with early games on the West Coast and later knockout rounds in cities like Atlanta and Miami.

(With inputs from agencies.)